Protective and sound attenuation helmet



Jan-28, 1969 F. A. CATROPPA ETAL 3, 9

PROTECTIVE AND SOUND ATTENUATION HELMET Filed Nov. 25, 1966 Sheet 4 of2INVENTORS FRANK A CATROPPA SIDNEY HIRSCH ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1969 F. A.CATROPPA ETAL 3, 23,759

PROTECTIVE AND SOUND ATTENUATION HELMET Filed Nov. 25, 1966 Sheet 2 of 2INVENTO FRANK, CA P SIDNEY RS ATTORN EY United States Patent 1 ClaimABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a novel andimproved protective helmet that can be readily and effectively adaptedto selectively exclude external environmental noise. The improved helmetincludes a hard outer shell of Fiberglas or other suitable material, aninner energy absorbent shell, a headband liner which is secured to theinner surface of the energy absorbing shell and which includes annularportions that extend downwardly about the ear area of the wearer, andear cups which are remova'bly secured in the aperture of each annularear portion of the liner and which include a relief port that isselectively opened or closed to the exterior environment.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties therein or therefor.

Prolonged exposure to high levels of background and environmental noiseoften become highly distracting and unbearable in the performance ofcomplicated, technical and exacting tasks. This is particularly the casefor pilots of helicopters and other types of aircraft. Although varioustypes of protective helmets have been devised in the past, considerabledifficulty has been experienced heretofore in providing a noiseattenuating protective helmet which is relatively simple in design andyet highly reliable and effective in operation.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide anovel and improved helmet which incorporates the important protectivefeatures of presently used helmets and at the same time providesselective sound attenuation control.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel and improvedprotective aircraft helmet having noise attenuating earcups that canreadily be detached from the helmet assembly when environmental noiselevels are not objectionable.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the embodiment of the inventionshown in FIG. 1 with the visor in its lowered eye shielding position andwith one earflap and earcup removed;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the visor control knob shown inFIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view which illustrates the manner in which the control knobof FIGS. 1 and 2 is removably secured to the eye shielding visor.

Referring now to the various figures of the drawing, it will be notedthat the improved protective helmet 3 of the present invention isgenerally hemispherical in shape with portions cut away as at 5 on itsopposite sides about the ears of the pilot or person wearing the helmet.The outer protective shell 7 of the helmet is preferably constructed ofa hard fiberglass reinforced plastic or resinous substance or any othersuitable material. An inner shell which is preferably constructed of astyrofoam energy adsorbent material is secured to the inner peripheralsurface of the outer shell 7 in any suitable conventional manner. Thenylon injection molded visor cover 9 is mounted on the exterior surfaceof the shell 7 and spaced therefrom by visor track members which aresecured to and extend along the outer surface of shell 7 generallyupwardly and rearwardly from opposite sides of the temple protectionarea of the helmet. The upper edge of the visor cover 9 is preferablycurved inwardly so as to engage the outer surface of the helmet shell 7and thereby form a narrow enclosure between the shell 7 and the visorcover 9. The slot 13 in the visor cover 9 extends upwardly andrearwardly from a centrally located point above the lower edge of thecover. The thickness of the visor cover about the edge of the slot 13 ispreferably increased as shown at 15. As will be more apparenthereinafter, this increased thickness of the visor cover 9 about slot 13minimizes damage to the cover as the visor slide 23 is operated back andforth therein. Opposite flanged edges of the transparent visor 19 areslidably disposed in grooves 21 in the track members such that the visoris movable between a fully retracted position within the enclosurebetween the shell 7 and the visor cover 9 and a position in which itextends downwardly from the enclosure in front of the eyes of the pilot.

The visor locking mechanism and slide 23 is removably secured to thevisor 19 between its oblong lower extremity 25 and its juxtaposed flangeportion 27 in a keyhole shaped notch 29 that extends downwardly from theupper edge of the visor 19. Thus, the slide 23 is securely attached tothe visor 19 when its oblong extremity is oriented at right angles tothe axis of keyhole notch 29 and is readily detached from the visor whenthe oblong extremity is aligned with the axis of notch 29. The stem 31which extends upwardly from the oblong extremity 25 through slot 13 invisor cover 9 is preferably rectangular in cross-section so as to engageopposite sides of the embossed slot 13 as it moves up and downtherealong. The upper end of stem 31 is externally threaded to receivethe complementary threads of the slide locking button or knob 33. Thelower surface of knob 33 is preferably generally concave in contour soas to readily engage the outer surface of the visor cover 9 when knob 33is screwed downwardly on stem 31. The nylon washer or the like 35 ispreferably positioned on stem 31 between the embossed slot 13 in cover 9and knob 33. The upper end of stem 31 is also internally threaded toreceive the locking screw or the like 37 which normally prevents removalof knob 33 from stem 31.

The conventional adjustable headband 39 is secured to the inner surfaceof shell 7 of the helmet 3 in any suitable manner and includes theannular downwardly extending earflap portions 41. The earcups 43 areremovably positioned in the openings 45 in the earfiap portions 41preferably by the hook and pile fastening devices 47. Sound absorbingfoam material or the like is secured to and lines the inner peripheralsurface of each earcup. The sound attenuation relief port 49, which isformed in each earcup 43, is opened or closed at the discretion of thepilot by placement or removal of the plastic cap or the like 51 on oroff the earcup projection 53 that defines the port. The elongatedflexible extension 55 on each cap 51 is adapted as shown to be securedabout the relief port projection 53 in order to minimize the possibilityof misplacing or losing the cap.

In the operation and use of the helmet 3, the visor 19 is moved upwardlyand downwardly in the grooves of track members that space the visorcover 9 from the helmet shell 7 between its fully retracted positionwithin the protective enclosure 9 and its eye shielding position infront of the eyes of the pilot. In so doing, the rectangularly contouredstem of slide 31 readily rides up and down in the embossed slot 13without injury or damage to the visor cover 9. The slide 23 and theattached visor 19 are locked in any selected position along the slot 13by tightening the button or knob 33 down on stem 31 and thereby clampingthe visor cover 9 between the flanged portion of slide 23 and theconcave lower surface of knob 33. When the pilot desires to exclude orattenuate environmental noise, he inserts and fastens the earcups 43 inthe earflaps of the helmet by means of the hook and pile fastenerdevices 47. Removal or placement of the caps 51 over the earcup reliefports 49 permits ready partial restoration of ear contact with theexternal environment.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective helmet for an aircraft pilot comprising:

(a) a hard Fiberglas shell that is contoured to fit over the pilotshead;

(b) a layer of energy absorbent material secured to the inner surface ofthe Fiberglas shell;

(c) a headband liner secured to the inner surface of the layer of energyabsorbent material, said headband liner including generally annularportions that extend downwardly about the ears of the pilot;

(d) an ear cup removably secured within each annular portion of theheadband liner by means of a plurality of hook and pile fasteningdevices, each said ear cup having a sound relief port therein;

(e) a sound absorbing foam liner secured to the inner peripheral surfaceof each ear cup;

(f) and a removable cap which normally closes the sound relief port ineach ear cup and which includes a projecting tab that is secured to theear cup about the sound relief port therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,354,524 10/1920 Timmons 2-62,286,843 6/1942 Catalane et al 2-3 2,902,692 9/1959 Christy et al 233,005,203 10/1961 Aileo 23 3,262,125 7/1966 Bowen 26 3,335,720 8/1967Aileo 26 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 1,259,571 3/1961 France.

JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 2209

